Deadly MERS infection turns up in U.S. for first time

May 2, 2014
|

A foreign worker living in Riyadh wears a mask on a main street in the Saudi capital on April 29, 2014, to protect against Middle East respiratory syndrome, aka MERS. / Fayez Nureldine, AFP/Getty Images

by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

NEW YORK (AP) - Health officials say a deadly virus from the Middle East has turned up for the first time in the U.S.

An American who does health care work in Saudi Arabia is hospitalized in Indiana with the MERS virus. Officials said Friday the man was diagnosed with Middle East respiratory syndrome after returning to the U.S. about a week ago.

Saudi Arabia has been the center of an outbreak of MERS, which surfaced two years ago. At least 400 cases have been reported, and more than 100 people have died. The virus has been found in camels, but officials don't know how it is spreading to humans.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the U.S. case to track down anyone he had close contact with recently.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All
rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.